Attic Productions in Fincastle, Virginia, is hosting a performance of a one-man play called “A Life of Sorrow, the Life and Times of Carter Stanley” on Saturday, September 21, 2024, at 2:30 PM. The performance comes as Stanley Music celebrates 78 years (1946-2024) as an enduring presence on the American entertainment landscape. The program uses a mix of storytelling and music to bring to life the saga of an Appalachian Mountain Music Treasure and is PRESENTED AS A FUNDRAISER FOR THE THEATER. RESERVATIONS ARE STRONGLY SUGGESTED.
For the uninitiated, Carter Stanley was an expressive singer and songwriter. As the front man for the legendary Stanley Brothers duo, he spent the best 20 years of his life pounding the pavement to take his gift to anyone who would listen. By 1966, he was tired. But… he had a story to tell!
Raised in the coalfields of Appalachia during the hardscrabble days of the Great Depression, the bright lights of a country stage raised the hairs on the back of a 10-year-old’s neck! He had found his calling! A decade later, his musical expression of choice was a new phenomenon known to many as the high lonesome sound… what would come to be known the world over as bluegrass. Tormented by a parent’s adolescent rejection and frustrated by the lack of commercial success — still he held to his dream. He played the music, he wrote the songs, and ultimately… he self-destructed. “A Life of Sorrow” is the story of one man’s musical journey. From the Clinch Mountains of Virginia, around the world, and back home again.
“A Life of Sorrow” is the creation of Roanoke, Virginia, actor Gary Reid. A bluegrass enthusiast and historian for over 45 years, he is regarded as the foremost authority on the music of the Stanley Brothers. In 2009, Reid conceived the idea of putting together a one-man show about Carter Stanley. To that end, he took two semesters of acting at Virginia Western Community College and has since appeared in more than 70 productions and events at regional community theatres as an actor, producer, and stage manager and has appeared in several short films and commercials. He was the second-place finalist at the 2015 Sounds of the Mountains storytelling competition in Fincastle, Virginia.
Launched on September 10, 2014, “A Life of Sorrow” has enjoyed over 100 performances at theaters, festivals, libraries, and museums in seventeen different states as well as three Canadian provinces.
In addition to his theatrical endeavors, Reid is also a published author. After many years of research, his book The Music of the Stanley Brothers is now available! It traces Carter and Ralph Stanley’s prolific 20-year recording history. Also noteworthy is Reid’s work with Fred Bartenstein on The Bluegrass Hall of Fame Inductee Biographies book which earned a 2015 ARSC Award for Excellence in Historical Recorded Sound Research. For his work on both publications, Reid was the 2015 recipient for the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Print/Media Person of the Year award.
- What: Theatrical performance – A Life of Sorrow, the Life and Times of Carter Stanley
- When: Saturday, September 21, 2024 @ 2:30 PM
- Where: Attic Productions, 7490 Roanoke Rd., Fincastle, VA 24090
- Additional info: 540-473-1001 * http://www.atticproductions.info * www.alifeofsorrow.com
- Cost: $15.00
“People need to see this!” … Roddy Moore, producer of the Blue Ridge Folklife Festival, Ferrum, Virginia.
“You really inhabit the character… no false, ‘theatrical,’ distractions. The strength of the show — and it does have plenty — is in its intimate, non-theatricality. Really, well done!” … Bruce Nemerov, contributor to NPR’s All Things Considered.
“Mr. Reid has created a professional, well-paced show that our library patrons found to be very moving, in addition to being entertaining and educational. The program drew a large and very appreciative crowd.” … Jim Patrick, Yuma County Library, Yuma, Arizona
“Lovely job!” … Eugene Wolf, Actor/Director at Virginia’s Barter Theatre.
“Gary, wonderful show last night! You really seemed to embody Carter, plus I loved the Monroe bit.” … Thomas Goldsmith, Raleigh News-Observer
“Our audience was totally captivated by his poignant performance. We have added him to our repeat performance list.” … Lora Glass, Reference Services Manager, Niceville Public Library, Niceville, Florida.
“We really enjoyed Thursday evening. Great to see you and your play. I hope it continues to grow and prosper.” … Ron Shuffler, bluegrass musician.
“I think you’ve got something special here, and I congratulate you for realizing a dream!” … Penny Parsons, Penny Parsons Publicity, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
“What an awe inspiring performance.” … Wanda Dalton, bluegrass songwriter, Floyd, Virginia.
